You may have missed it. If so, this article provides another look at a LSA provider that I consider something of a “sleeper” … and if you do not know that term, it’s meant to be positive yet refer in this case to a company that does its thing well if somewhat quietly. I am writing about Aerotrek Aircraft and its two models, the taildragging A220 and the trigeared A240. These airplanes may look familiar — itself a good thing as they are based on a very well proven original design — yet they have seen steady updating and improvement that makes a distinct airplane as we head into 2014. Proprietor Rob Rollison has shown a very steady hand at the tiller and recently updated his company’s news.
“Sales of our Aeropro planes continue to be good — sold out until late-August 2014,” wrote Rob. “We will show 10 planes delivered in calendar year 2013.” However, his company also sold one to Mexico, so that one will not show up on our third quarter 2013 market share report to be published next week. Two more Aerotreks are aboard an ocean freighter so will be counted as 2014 deliveries. Another pair are reported complete but will not be shipped until after the new year. This suggests Aerotrek will continue a steady climb up from 2013.
Archives for December 2013
New Owner for SportCruiser in America
(Article udated) One of the most recognized aircraft in the LSA space is the SportCruiser, which ranks high on our LSA Market Share ranking (2012 figures). Solid in the #4 spot, they are likely to move up with another decent year in 2013, thanks to what some might call the “halo effect” of having had the Piper name on the airplane (photo) for a year, and now, a new owner. Don Ayers retired and handed the reins to his partner and new company president, Patrick Arnzen. Some thought that Piper’s quick in and out might be a negative, but that would be incorrect. Ayers once told me that his operation was the key company before Piper, during Piper, and after Piper so not much really changed other than temporarily wearing the Vero Beach company’s colors and gaining from their promotion.
In a recent conversation, Patrick explained the various activities that keep them busy including a bustling flight school operation in Addison, Texas (KADS).
Single Seat SeaLite Amphibian from Belite Flies
It seems like we discuss seaplanes (the boat hull variety of airplanes) more than floatplanes (land planes with floats added). Rare are any of these a single seater and one that might fit in Part 103 for ultralight vehicles (meaning no pilot license, no medical, and no N-numbers are required). Yet some like the flexibility afforded by removable floatation. Many buyers seek lower price tags and most pilots tend to fly solo more than with passengers (even when four or more seats are available). So, perhaps you should consider Belite Aircraft airplanes especially now that ever-inventive developer James Wiebe has transformed his single seater into an amphibious floatplane called SeaLite. The new model is getting closer to delivery. “The first flight of our amphibious, carbon fiber, float-equipped aircraft falls on 110th anniversary of Wright Brother’s first flight,” said James about his voyage aloft on December 17th.
“Although today’s test flight was from a conventional grass runway, the expanded test plan will soon demonstrate takeoff and landing operations from water as well,” clarified Weibe.
Quicksilver Near Special LSA Approval for Sport 2S
The Special Light-Sport Aircraft version of Quicksilver Aeronautics‘ popular Sport 2 model is completing efforts to gain FAA acceptance. An FAA audit is scheduled in December and the company announced it has completed the entire flight test regimen required to comply with ASTM industry consensus standards. A recent update to the standard now demands that a company must accumulate 100 hours of flight testing. Homebuilders expend some time to log the 40 hours required for an Experimental Amateur Built kit; this is two and half times as much. “We completed an entire ASTM Design & Performance standard test matrix,” said Daniel Perez, Chief Operations Officer for the California company. He also noted that those 100 flight hours involved 236 takeoffs and landings. These results follow a long period of other detailed testing and significant document preparation plus establishing the factory for repeatable, quality-controlled production of ready-to-fly aircraft.
Quiclsilver’s Sport 2S is a strutted, wide open cockpit, side-by-side two seater and will be the first Quicksilver aircraft to complete the entire compliance package.
CubCrafters Upgrades Industry’s Best Seller
Top selling aircraft models in the LSA space over the last couple years are manufactured by CubCrafters. It’s not too strong to say they’ve done well because the Yakima, Washington company got the formula right: Start with an iconic design; add features the original Piper version never dreamed of having; pump it up with lots more power; add in a finer finish, modern materials, and instruments; upgrade it steadily; and finish by doing it all in the USA. To continue building on the best performance among any LSA producer, the company announced a range of updates for their Carbon Cub SS and Sport Cub S2 Light-Sport Aircraft for 2014.
Soon we’ll release the first market share stats of 2013 and through the first nine months of the year CubCrafters has a clear lead. Last year, Cessna registered more aircraft but the Wichita giant has been completely quiet in 2013 giving room for CubCrafters to soar.
Clearer Picture(s) of the new Vickers Wave
After a rush of interest owing to earlier reports (see here and here), the team at Vickers Aircraft went head down and began pushing even harder on their fascinating new amphibious LSA seaplane entry called Wave. As you can see by the photos, they’ve now unveiled the overall appearance though additional details of this rather distinctive creation will be released as components are fitted and evaluated. Meanwhile, for those who want more, principal designer Paul Vickers added, “I am pleased to inform that our Vickers Aircraft website is now live. We invite pilots around the world to come have a closer look and to observe which companies we are engaging as partners.
“We have achieved our production weights on completed assemblies,” noted Paul, including wings, tail stabilizers, controls, and composites structures such as the cockpit and sponsons.” Vickers says they achieved this by strategically combining aluminum and carbon fiber.
Aero Adventure: Kit Seaplane Company’s New Factory
The city of Tavares, Florida ought to be feeling good about their effort to become their adopted name: America’s Seaplane City (FA1). The city built a fine facility and seaplanes are using it. Yet the strongest measure of their success may be that the city, located about 45 minutes northwest of Orlando, has attracted not one but two seaplane manufacturers. I’ve written about Progressive Aerodyne and their SeaRey several times. We’ve done video with Aero Adventure since Alex Rolinski took over the operation. Recently, we were hosted by Alex Gutierrez as we paid a visit to their new factory following a laborious move from Rockledge, Florida to Tavares.
In 2013, this a tale of two men named Alex and a familiar brand in the light kit arena. The longtime friends got together in central Florida after Alex R purchased the rights, designs, and inventory of Aero Adventure.
Evektor Successfully Passes LSA Audit for China
The rush is on — hardly a surprise to anyone these days — regarding China’s emergence into general or recreational aviation. Investors in the country are buying iconic aviation brands with increasing frequency it seems and more companies in the LSA space are rushing to join the party. They join a growing flock of home-grown producers (see earlier report). No wonder. With China’s economic growth, new freedom to fly at least in some airspace, and keen interest in flying one’s own airplane, the business possibilities appear large. While established countries remain mired in economic sluggishness, China’s star shines brightly. Add those factors to the much lower price of purchasing a Light-Sport Aircraft and you can see why companies are jumping on the bandwagon.
The newest company to succeed in gaining Chinese approval is Evektor and their SportStar LSA models. The Czech company reported, “Evektor successfully passed an audit by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) at its production plant in Kunovice, Czech Republic.” Chinese auditors focused on quality assurance and inspections as well as Continued Operational Safety Monitoring.